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Council schedules June hearing on stormwater ordinance to meet Ecology permit deadlines
Summary
Snohomish County staff briefed council on proposed code changes to comply with Ecology’s 2024 Phase 1 municipal stormwater permit and scheduled a public hearing for June 17, 2026; staff said the ordinance updates drainage rules, manuals and development standards and extends through coordination with EDDS updates.
County staff presented proposed amendments to Snohomish County Code (chapter 30 series) to implement requirements from Ecology's 2024 Phase 1 municipal stormwater permit and the 2024 Ecology Stormwater Management Manual for Western Washington. Hillary McGowan (senior planner) said the changes update drainage regulations to prevent and control pollution of waters of the state and align county manual and design standards with Ecology guidance.
"In 2024, Ecology released their phase 1 municipal stormwater permit...Snohomish County stormwater regulations are required to be adopted and made effective by 07/01/2026," McGowan said, noting Ecology granted a brief administrative allowance to be effective by 07/15/2026 but staff recommended keeping the July 1 deadline because other code language references that date.
The ordinance proposes updates to redevelopment thresholds, runoff treatment performance, source control, review processes and appeal procedures, and cross-references the county drainage manual and EDDS. Planning Commission recommended the proposal unanimously in March, and staff recommended a public hearing date of June 17, 2026 at 10:30 a.m.; council set the hearing and approved the scheduling motion 4 to 0.
Staff emphasized the time-sensitive nature of the ordinance and said the county coordinated with Ecology during drafting; the council did not adopt the ordinance at this meeting but scheduled the hearing.
